Gearing.



H. L. BENNETT.

GBARING.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 18, 1911.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WI TNESSES:

M A TTORNEY H. Ii. BENNETT.

BEARING.

APPLIUATIDH n'Lnn mm. 18, 1911.

- Patented Apr. 7, 19M

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNE8SE8: Q mmvron /2 L. Ben/veil Maw ,4 TTORNEY HARRY L. BENNETT, F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

onnmne.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914..

Application filed December 18, 1911. Serial No. 666,562.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY L. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gearing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in belt conveyers; and has for its object the provision of means for automatically stop-,

ping the conveying machinery at irregular intervals as the goods carried thereby are delivered at a predetermined point and permitting the machinery to again become oper-.

ative when said goods are removed to similarly convey other goods.

In factories where goods are transported from one point to another by belt conveyor apparatus, it frequently occurs that the goods are loaded upon the belt faster than the same can behandled at the unloading station resulting in inconvenience and disorder.

It is the further object of this invention to provide means for the individual parcels of goods upon reaching the desired end of their travel to stop the conveying apparatus and only allow the same to be again started upon the removal of the parcel operating the check device. A successive supply of goods is delivered only so fast .as the workmen can dispose of them.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of a belt conveyor and devices for intermittently and automatically stopping and starting the same; as will be hereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and finally set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, of devices embod ing my invention. Fig. 2 :is a plan view 0 the transmission and controlling devices. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 and showing a portion only of devices therein illustrated.

Referring to said drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates framework sultably supported upon sills 1. Journaled in bearings 2 upon said framework is a transverse driven shaft 3 shown projecting upon one side of said framework and provided thereat with a pulley 4. upon which is engaged .a power belt 5 to drive the shaft in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. Loosely shaft is a gear wheel 6 with which is integrally or otherwise rigidly connected, as

by a collar bearing 7 about said shaft, a.

frame 9 consisting of side members 9 and 9". The latter member 9" is provided with a collar bearing 8 upon said shaft. The members of said name are spaced apart at their extremities by spacing blocks 11 and 12 of which the latter is of relatively heavy. weight to act as a counterbalance. The frame is arranged to rotate with the gear 6 about said shaft, the axis of such rotation being about midway ,of its ends. Keyed upon shaft 3 between said frame members is a pinion 13 and in mesh therewith upon opposite sides of said axis from the weight 12 is a planetary gear 1 1 mounted between said members to rotate with a stub-shaft l5 journaled in bearings 16 and 17, respectively, of said members. Shaft 15 projecting beyond its' bearing 17 has keyed thereto a pinion 18 which is in mesh with a table upon shaft '3. Sai gear 19 is rigidly connected with a sprocket wheel 20 carrying a sprocket chain 21 for transmitting power to the conveyor belt 22.

The connecting devices include upper sprocket 23 operatively mounted upon a s aft 24 carrying a sprocket, not shown, which engages the belt 22 to actuate same. The upper or operative side of said belt 22 travels in the bottom of a fixed trough 25 over idler sprocket wheels, 26. Spaced apart in said belt are links 27 having an outwardly projecting lug 28, which is adapted to engage the goods, as 29, 29, introduced in said ear wheel 19 rota,

trough and assist in carrying the same along the trough. Said lugs may be of any desired size or shape to suit the class of goods with which employed, as for example, ifbales of soft oods are conveyed, a larger lug would be utllized thanthatillustrated. At the discharge end of said trough is a lever 30 pivoted at itslower end, whose upper end 31 projects into the path of said objects 29, 29 and intermediate such ends is connected, as by rod 32, with controlling devices which will now be explained. Rotatably supported transversely of said framework in bearings 33 and 33, is ashaft 34 uponwhich is mounted a wheel 35 having gear teeth 36 upon a portion of its periphery in mesh with the teeth of gear wheel 6 and peripheral ratchet teeth 37 upon an adjacent portion. Adjacent said wheel 35 are two uprights 60 operative when the frame 9 is locked against 38 and 39 spaced apartand pivoted at their lower ends to sills 1. Said uprights are connected in proximity of thelr upper ends by a transverse bar 40 fixedly secured at one end to upright 39 and engaged with upright 38 through a headed pin 41 of the latter projecting through slot 40 of the bar. The upright 39 is yieldingly urged rearwardly toward the wheel 35 by a spring 42 and the two uprights are further connected together near their upper extremities by aspring 43 which normally yieldingly maintams said pin 41 of the upright 38 in engagement with the rear end of said slot 40'. The forward end of the rod 32 is connected to the upper end of the upright 38.

44 indicates a trigger-bar pivotally dependent from the transverse bar 40 and provided near its lower end with a rearwardly projecting plate 45 formed with a slot 45 through which protrudes a headed pin 46 of said upright 38. Said pin is maintained normally in engaged relation with the forward edge of said slot 45' through the instrumentality of a spring 47 secured at its respective ends to the trigger bar 44 and upright 39. Intermediate its ends the bar 44 is provided with a notch 48 in its forward vertical edge whose lowerhorizontal wall 49 projects forwardly somewhat beyond its upper wall 49'. Pivoted at 50 upon the upright 39 is a detent 51 having an arm 52 projecting forwardly to engage in said notch 48 and a bill 53 adapted to protrude rearwardly into the path. of the ratchet teeth 37.

In describing the operation of the invention, it is to be noted that the pinion 13 is keyed to rotate with the shaft 3 while the gears 6 and 19 with the elements connectedthereto are loosely mounted thereon.

It will be further noted that when the gear 6 and frame 9 rigidly connected therewith are locked against rotation, as by the instrumentality of the intermeshing teeth of wheel 35 whose rotative movements may be controlled by the detent 51, the power applied through pinion 13 is communicated through the planetary gear 14, pinion 18 to gear 19 to actuate the sprocket wheel 20 and the conveying apparatus. When said detent is 'withdrawn the power pinion 13 through the meshed engagement of the gear 14 there: with drives the latter and frame ,9 with idle planetary motion about itself and the pinion 18 similarly in planetary motion about the gear 19. The connected gear 6 thus revolves with the frame and causes the wheel 35 to likewise revolve in idle motion. It is clear therefore that the conveyer is only rotation which is accomplished in the illustrated embodiment through the agency of gear 6, wheel 35 and detent 51. Said detent is controlled by the movements of the merchandise carried in the, conveyer in the following manner: The trough 25 may extend as far as desired and carries in its bottom a chain-belt 22 actuated as described. The goods, 29, 29, are deposited in the trough without regard to spacing for conveyance to a desired point of discharge as, for" instance, where the goods are to be loaded upon cars or wagons. The lugs 28 engage the rear of the goods and assist in pushing the same along the trough. As the goods approach said discharge point they engage the lever 30 and the continued push of the respective lug 28 therebehind upon the goods throws said lever, forwardly as shown in dotted lines a in Fig. 1, and releases the detent from the wheel 35 to cause the 1 transmission apparatus between. the power pinion 13 and the conveyer to become inoperative and effect the stoppage of the conveyer. The box. or bale of goods thus remains at the end of the trough with the conveyer stopped until the workmen are able to remove same. As the goods 29 is removed, the lever 30 resumes its former position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and the rotation of frame 9 is again retarded to actuate the conveyer until the succeeding package of goods, 29', reaches the end of the trough and trips the detent 51 in its turn to stop the further progress of the chain 22. The specific method of actuating said detent to control the operations of the transmission devices may be described as follows: With the frame 9 in locked engagement against rotation about the pinion 13 thus actuating the conveyer, the de tent 51 and connected apparatus are as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The uprights 38 and 39 in their forward positions and the detent having its bill end 53 in engagement with a ratchet tooth 37 of wheel 35 and its arm 52 secured within the notch 48, the downward pressure upon end'53 of the detent causes said arm to bear' upon the upper wall 49' of the notch. Whenthe lever'30 is pushed forwardly by action of the goods, as 29, thereagainst the connected rod 32 pulls the upright 38 in the same direction which, in turn, pulls the trigger bar 44 forwardly through the means of pin 46 protruding through slot 45 of said bar and against the power of the spring 47, as shown in dottedlines b in Fig. 1. Thus is the detent 51 released from its engagement 120 right 38 against the power of spring 42 r i until the pin 41 rests against the rear end 130 tatably mounted in said frame in planetary position of slot 40. As said upright 39 attains this the arm 52 of the detent which is heavier than the bill end thereof drops downwardly and falls upon the lower wall 49 of the notch 48 while the spring 47 allows the same to be yieldingly held within the notch, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The detent is now again set for operative engagement with the ratchet teeth of the wheel 35. This is accomplished through the removalof the interferingbox or bale of goods from the lever 30, whereupon the spring 42 asserts itself to project the pair of uprights and connected apparatusrearwardly, the bill end 53 of the detent projecting into the plane of rotation of the ratchet teeth 37 and engaging the respective tooth thereof that next presents itself.

While I have described the apparatus shown in the drawings with some degree of particularity, it is obvious that the devices can be applied to a wide variety of ap lications withv changes in detail and mo ifi- .cations of parts within the scope of the claims without departing from" the spirit of the invention or sacrificing its advantages. i

What I claim as my invention, is-

1. A device of the character described, a

power shaft, a pinion keyed to said shaft, a gear in mesh with said pinion mounted for planetary movement about the pinion when inoperative, means to lock said gear against planetary movement, a driven member, means interposed between said gear and the driven member to transmit motion from the gear when the same is operative, trip apparatus and means for actuating the trip apparatus to render said power devices in effective. Y 1 Q 2. A device of the character described, comprising power means consisting of a driven shaft, a pinion keyed to said shaft, a frame rotatable on said shaft, a stub shaft mounted therein, a gear fixed onsaidstub shaft in planetary engagement with the. a second pinion keyed on said stub pinion, shaft, a secondgear loosely mounted on the driven shaft in mesh with the second named pinion, a drlven member, connections between said loose gear and the driven memher, and means to lock the gear carried by said stub shaft against planetary. movement.

3. A device of the character described,

comprising power means consisting of. a drlven shaft, a

pinion keyed to said shaft, a frame, rotatable on said shaft, a gear roengagement with the pinion, a second pinion rigidl; connected to said gear, a second gear loose y mounted on the driven shaft in mesh with the second named pinion, a driven member, connections between said loose gear and the driven member, and means to lock said gear against planetary movement.

4. A device of the character described, comprising power means consisting of a driven shaft, a pinion keyed to said shaft, a frame rotatable on said shaft, a ear rotatably mounted in said frame in p anetary engagement with the pinion, a pinion rigidly connected to saidgear, a gear loosely mounted on the driven shaft in mesh with the second named pinion, a driven member, connections between said loose gear and the driven member, and means to lock the frame against rotative movement.

5. A device of the character described, comprising power means consisting of a driven shaft, a pinion keyed to said shaft, a frame rotatable on said shaft, a gear rotatably mounted in said frame in planetary engagement with the pinion, a second pinion rigidly connected to said gear, a second gear loosely mounted on the driven shaft in mesh .with the second named pinion, a driven member, connections between sa1d loose gear and the driven member, means to lock the frame against rotative movement and means to release the frame from such locked .condition. a

6. A device of the character described, comprising power means consisting of a driven shaft, a pinion keyed to said shaft, a driven member, loosely mounted connectionsbetween the shaft and the driven member, and a planetary gear apparatus between said pinion and loose connections, a detent to secure the gear apparatus against planetary motion, and'means to shift said detent to withdraw the same from said gear to make the driven member'inoperative.

7. A device of the character. described, comprising a driven member, power actuating means therefor, transmission mechanism interposed between said driven meml tive.

' HARRY L. BENNETT.

Witnesses:

Homes Barnes, .E. Pnrnnson.

and cause said member to become inopera- 

